Toxin or Poison Ingestion

In reviewing more than 180,000 calls about pets exposed to potentially poisonous substances during 2012, the ASPCA’s Poison Control Center has determined the top problem-causing items in our homes for pets:

For the fifth straight year, prescription human medications were the top problem. 25,000 calls were taken during 2012 that listed a pet ingesting a human prescription product as the potential poison. That’s almost 70 calls per day! The top three medications causing problems were heart medications (such as blood pressure pills), antidepressants and pain medications.

The next most common call to the Poison Control Center listed some sort of insecticide as the issue. Approximately 19,000 calls were taken and more than half of those calls involved a cat. Our feline friends are very susceptible to ingredients in many of the over the counter and even veterinary products. Always fully read all labels and check with your veterinarian before using an insecticide on a cat!

Over-the-counter human medications also made the top five with about 18,000 cases recorded. These products not only include over the counter pain medications, like aspirin or Tylenol, but also herbal and nutraceutical supplements. It is good practice to keep all medications and supplements in an area your dog can’t access easily.

Coming in at #4 are veterinary products. Approximately 10,000 calls were received that listed things like flavored chew tabs for pets as the reason for the call. In many cases, entire bottles of medication were consumed! This is why we always caution people about Rimadyl chewable tablets and recommend they be stored in a closed cabinet and not on a counter. The same goes for chewable supplements. We’ve had dogs eat entire bottles of joint supplements.

Finally, household items round out the top five. Another 10,000 calls listed some sort of household cleaning product as the possible poison. Many of these items can be corrosive and very irritating to the pet’s GI tract.

Rodenticide or Rat Poison is another very dangerous toxin we see pets ingesting and it is usually fatal if treatment is not administered within 24 to 48 hours. Symptoms include weakness or wobbliness, vomiting blood, or any unusual bleeding, seizures or muscle tremors. Unfortunately, by the time these symptoms present, it may already be too late for treatment to be effective. So if you have the slightest suspicion that your pet ingested rat poison, or ingested a rodent who may have ingested rat poison, call us right away!

Dogs are more likely to get into trouble around the house than cats. The most common reported canine breeds ingesting poisons are: Labrador Retrievers, accounting for 14,000 calls, mixed breed dogs, Chihuahuas, Golden Retrievers and Yorkies.

Cats are more likely to ingest poisonous plants. For more information about toxic foods, including chocolate, and a list of poisonous plants, read our Poison Client Handout

There is a new kidney screening test, the IDEXX SDMA™ Test, that enables the identification of chronic kidney disease in cats and dogs months or even years earlier than traditional blood tests. It is estimated that over 1 in 3 cats and 1 in 10 dogs will develop kidney disease in their lifetimes.

We're offering this test for free if your pet has had a Wellness exam with us in the last year. Those yearly Wellness exams are super important in picking up diseases that are easier to treat or even prevent in the early stages. This new SDMA blood test can be a game changer as kidney disease is often silent until it causes significant clinical signs! Take advantage of this amazing new test!!

What is kidney disease?

Your pet's kidneys play an important part in filtering and removing waste from the body. Kidney disease occurs when something causes these functions to be compromised and it typically falls into two categories:

CKD can happen for a variety of reasons: kidney stones, infections (including Lyme disease in dogs), toxins, injuries, genetic abnormalities, cancer, and others. If kidney disease is suspected, your veterinarian will work with you to determine the underlying cause of the disease and create the best treatment or management plan for your pet.

What are the signs of chronic kidney disease?

Regular checkups and screenings are an important part of catching kidney disease as early as possible. Your veterinarian will work with you to determine your pet's kidney function on a regular basis depending on their symptoms, age and other factors.

What is the treatment for chronic kidney disease?

• Feeding a high-quality, kidney-supportive diet, often as wet food to help with hydration.

Once my pet is diagnosed with CKD, what's the long-term management and monitoring plan?

As your pet ages and his or her condition changes, different diets, medications or additional fluids may be needed. Because of this, your veterinarian will work with you to monitor your pet's condition by rechecking your pet's kidney function with blood and urine tests. With early chronic kidney disease, your pet may need a recheck only two or three times a year; more visits are often helpful as the disease progresses.

Look at these beautiful cats looking for homes. Go say hi and see if one steals your heart!

Calling all introverts! Do you know an introvert who you love in your life? So do we! Please help our more insecure or shy cats get adopted by giving them a 30-day adoption trial in your home. Our shy kitty adoption fees will be 20% off for the rest of March. Nixon, Brix, Alba, and Samantha would all love a home before spring comes! ... See more